Title: Despair and Hope

Chapter 9: Goodbye

"Alright," Legolas said in a whisper, as all the men piled into a few caves, just before the passage opening. "You all know what you must do?"

A murmur of assent rang through the caves.

"When I shout "Charge" you attack. I will remain inside so I can prevent orcs from entering," and keep Eowyn from exiting, he added silently, "with my arrows. Haldir remains inside until he can slip out and mingle with the orcs. When Haldir lights the fuse, he will shout the signal. All of you must get back inside. And please attempt to keep the orcs from getting into the passage as far as possible. You must hurry. We cannot wait for too long. Be as silent as you can, so they may not realize that you are attacking them too soon. Kill as many as you can, and try to keep yourselves from being killed. Is that clear?"

"Yes," the men murmured.

"Alright, get ready now," Legolas said.

He walked to the entrance and peeked out. The orcs were still circling the explosive, thank goodness. He waited till a flash of lightnig lit up the skies and then he shouted, "Charge!" at the top of his voice. The men all rushed out, the archers first, shooting at the orcs as they went. Legolas readied his own bow, keeping one eye on the orcs and one on Eowyn, that she may not sneak out unnoticed by him.

Outside, a roar of fury and surprise broke from the orcs and all hell broke lose as they noticed their assailants.

Haldir slipped out, wishing Legolas luck as he went.

Haldir pushed through the orcs and Men as fast as he could. He got to the huge sphere without much trouble. It had a metallic luster but the texture of wood. He was trying to find the fuse when an orc suddenly caught him by the collar and said, "Hey! What do you think you're doing! Go and fight, you."

"Erm…the boss told me to guard this," Haldir said quickly, praying for luck.  He did not get it.

"The boss! The boss never told you any such thing as he's standing right in front of you. Who are you? You are not one of the Uruk-hai," Ugluk was looking at Haldir with deep suspicion. Quick as lightning, Haldir whipped out the dagger he always kept in his boot and plunged it into Ugluk's heart. Cursing himself for his blunder, he looked around to see if anyone had noticed him. But they were all too busy fighting with the men.

Haldir suddenly found the fuse. He was shocked to see how short it was. In a flash, he suddenly saw the weak point of the entire plan. He would shout the signal. The men would all rush into the caves. Then he would light the fuse…but he himself would not be able to get inside the caves. The fuse was too short. The orcs would be crowded at the entrance, there would be no way for him to get inside.

I am going to die.

"Death to all Men! Death to all Men!" As they heard the signal the men all began to rush inside. As if in a trance, Haldir took a torch from the hand of a dead orc a few feet away.

Goodbye, he thought silently. Goodbye Legolas. Goodbye Aragorn. You have been very good friends to me. Do not grieve for me. My life has been very lonely, and if not for the both of you, I would be glad to leave it. I will see you perhaps in the Halls of Mandos. But for Valar's sake let it not be too soon.

He turned resolutely away from the caves, away from the Middle-Earth he had come to love, and lit the fuse with a quaking hand. Goodbye, he thought again and he watched the fuse become shorter and shorter as the flame got closer to the bomb, and closer to ending his life.

Notes from the Stone Age:

 Sorry this was so short, but I wanted it to end on a cliffie, ha ha. Please review, now that you're here, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! This was the only real cliffie in this story so please try not to kill me. 

Thanks to all my darling reviewers! I luv you all!

Goodbye!